Christmas Double Cross. Jodie Bailey

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ man looked at her without raising his head, his brown eyes finding hers under lashes that it was so not fair a man had gotten. His hair was short, but not military short like some of the soldiers from Fort Bliss. He was built like one of them, though. Even though he wore a dark leather jacket, she could tell. He was strong. Muscular. Like he’d earned his physique and not just sweated it out in a gym.

      A slight smile tilted the corner of his mouth—knowing, almost like he’d read her thoughts from across the room.

      Her face had better not be pinking up the way it felt. Danielle cleared her throat. “Were you looking for something in particular?”

      “I’m sorry.” He finally lifted his chin, and the smile he’d quirked tilted both sides of his mouth. “I was noticing the replica you have here. It’s a very good one.”

      “Thank you. I’ve been working in pottery and sculpture for years.” Finally, her stomach unclenched. If he was dangerous, he’d have attacked by now. “If you’re interested, that one’s not for sale, but I have some similar ones I can show you.”

      He lifted the statuette again and cradled it gently, almost as though he understood the value it possessed. “What’s so special about this one?”

      His gentleness undid the last of her apprehension, and she crossed the room toward him, standing on the other side of the pedestal where the piece usually rested, close enough to smell the spice of his cologne. “It has my mother’s thumbprint on the bottom.” She held out her hand and he laid the piece in it so she could turn it over and point to the small print at the corner of the base. “It’s the last one we did together before she died.”

      “I’m sorry to hear that.” The stranger nodded and took the statue back, running his thumb along the print, his eyes following the motion. “I understand, though. I lost someone close to me when I was a teenager. And if I had something like this...” He stopped, cleared his throat and settled the piece back onto the pedestal before he looked at her again, a teasing glint replacing the somber expression he’d worn a moment earlier. “So, would you happen to have one with your thumbprint on it?”

      Wow. Just when she’d thought he might be different than all the rest, he had to go and flirt with her. Awkwardly. “Sorry. No.” Danielle huffed out a breath, done with this conversation. “I’m about to close. Were you interested in something or were you just ducking in to get out of the cold?”

      “Actually, I was looking for something.” Seeming to realize he’d gone too far, he took a step away from her and surveyed the room as though he knew exactly what he wanted. “A buddy of mine was in here a couple of weeks ago and said you had a standing stone figure from Mezcala.”

      It was the most expensive piece she possessed, on consignment from an elderly woman at her church. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. What did this man want, showing up late, asking specifically about the stone figure so soon after someone ransacked the place looking for...something? “I have one on consignment, but it’s not here. It’s a rare piece, and the shop is not secure enough to house it. If you’d like to see it, I can make arrangements for us to meet elsewhere, but I should tell you the owner is asking for ten thousand, and she’s not willing to negotiate that price.” Actually, if left on her own with a smooth talker, Senora Noguerra would likely wind up giving the priceless artifact away. That was the main reason Danielle had convinced the older lady to let her handle the sale, even though she didn’t generally work with consignments or deal in artifacts worth that much money.

      “Understandable. If you have a business card, I can call you after the holidays and set up a time. I definitely want to see it. If someone else expresses interest before we can meet, let them know I’ll beat any price.”

      “Certainly.” Her voice stayed level. Amazing, given the way her chest tightened in anticipation. She’d get Senora Noguerra a good price, maybe even higher than she’d dreamed, and finally allow the elderly lady some breathing room in her finances. Danielle pulled a card from her pocket and handed it over.

      He took it by the edge and glanced at it. “Danielle Segovia.” When he lifted his eyes again, he found hers immediately, reading her expression. The full force of those brown eyes was almost more than she could handle. She nodded and said a quick prayer he’d leave soon, before she asked him to walk next door for coffee or something stupid like that.

      Which she couldn’t do. Justin was due back to the apartment soon, and Danielle had a few things to say about the late nights her younger brother had been keeping lately. She’d gotten the automatic email from the school today. His grades were dipping. This wasn’t the time to be flirting with a man, even if he did take the time to honor her mother’s memory, unlike everyone else who came in and plunked the statue down when they found out it wasn’t genuine.

      The stranger extended his hand. “I’m Colter Beckett.” His grip was strong and warm, and he held on tightly for an instant longer than he should have, spiking electricity up her arm before he pulled away. “I’ll talk to you in a few days.” He turned and left the store, disappearing up the sidewalk toward the end of the building.

      Danielle slumped against the pedestal and whistled low. Wow. Wait until she told Zoe about this guy. She balled her fist to hold on to the warmth of his hand, then shook it out just as quickly. Stupid. She had better things to do than give in to the impulse to run to the window and watch Colter Beckett walk away.

      She had a fifteen-year-old brother to raise.

      Puffing out one more breath, Danielle locked the front of the shop and killed the lights. Grabbing her purse from the back, she set the alarm and stepped out into the chilled El Paso night, straining to see the stars overhead. If this cold snap kept up much longer, they might actually get snow for Christmas. A genuine rarity.

      As she pulled her keys from her purse, an engine started in the small alley behind the shop. When she lifted her head, headlights blinded her.

      Danielle froze instinctively, even as she tried to tell herself that there was no reason to believe she was in danger. Maybe it was some kids using her back lot to hang out. Maybe one of the cops who’d said they’d drive by after the break-in had finally made good on the promise. It would be the first time.

      But then a huge man, broad and bulky, stepped into the headlights and stalked toward her, his silhouette a hulk in the brightness.

      Danielle backed up two steps before she bumped into the locked door of her shop, dropping her purse. She turned to run for the parking lot.

      But the man was faster. A thick arm wrapped around her waist and jerked her backward against a beefy chest, crushing the air from her lungs before she could scream.

       TWO

      “It’s her.” Colt switched the phone to his earpiece then turned the key in the ignition, speaking before Austin could say hello. “I had her give me a business card. We can pull a print to be sure. I’m to get in touch with her after the holiday, and we’ll see how much intel I can gather before we take her in. Once she trusts me as a runner for hire, we’re in.”

      “Brent’s not going to like this.”

      The muscle under Colt’s eye jumped, the place where his stress seemed to show the most. Ranger Brent McCord had once been a close friend, but this Adriana Garcia thing had fractured that friendship. McCord said the woman had once saved his life, and based on that single encounter, СКАЧАТЬ